Joggers should be banned from paths and pavements

[BalancedIndividual]

As a car driver I find that the occasional cyclist breaks highway codes, cycles dangerously, or cycles without care and consideration. Key word being occasional, so no biggie. Just like how the occasional car diver is a .

But as a pedestrian going for a stroll in the park, the number of rude, selfish, careless and aggressive joggers i've seen is ridiculous high.

I see a jogger coming towards me, I walk to the side/edge of the path, but joggers always decide to keep running straight down the middle....

Similar to the above, joggers not keep a safe distance, and actually brushing past me.

And lastly, the worst offenders, joggers running side by side taking up the whole path, coming towards me, and giving me looks as if im supposed to jump out the way and off the path. ***

I honestly think legislation should be brought in to ban jogging on paths and pavements. Restricting joggers to grassland/cross country, outdoor tracks, private land, and the gym. The same way that cycling isnt permitted on pavements.

AIBU?

I just ignore them. They can go into the road to get around me or wait. Some of us are actually going to places, rather than trying to get X amount of exercise, so I don't inconvenience myself on their behalf.

I think it's people that walk really slowly, 3 abreast, and don't move out of your way or let you past should be banned.

Sadly, we have to share our spaces. Just because you like exercising at a gym doesn't mean that everyone has to. I personally like running outdoors because it's convenient, free and can be done at the time of your choosing from your front door. Plus you exercise harder outside than in a stuffy gym.

@FOJN

pavements are for pedestrians

Joggers are pedestrians! Lots of people plow forward expecting you to move for them, either give ground or assert yourself by being more determined than they are.

This asserting yourself sounds like it could get dangerous.

OP - while you're eyeing up the opposition on your path, consider popping on a helmet and lacrosse chest protector; that'll give them a heads up that you aren't giving ground so they should move.

I'm a (slow relatively new) runner.

Gyms are closed. Parkrun is off at the moment. Pavements are what's left.

Quite often I see pedestrians walking 5 abreast forcing me into oncoming traffic. See also cyclists on the pavement, people walking right in the middle of the pavement so you can't go either side of them so it's into the traffic again.

It's very, very, very unlikely you'll get Covid outside in the open air.

I have to agree they seem to be incredibly rude and I used to be a child jogger in a club.

Like there need to run or jog a few milliseconds faster is much more important that the elderly person or toddler using the path and it’s too much of an inconvenience to move around them. I was actually ran into by a jogger because they wouldn’t move around and I had stopped to wipe my toddlers hands. I didn’t get chance to move as I didn’t see them we had just started on a wide but steep short bridge we where the only people on it where we had stopped over a road the first I saw of this lady was her barging into me telling me to move out her way. I may of said a few choice words my child shouldn’t of had to heard but she was a knob so she deserved it.

So basically you want to set a speed limit for pedestrians? Hilarious.

Losing weight is a good way of minimising your COVID risks...a lot of people use jogging to do that. Paths aren't just for slow dawdling walkers like you. Most runners I see (including myself) are very considerate. I am also a very considerate cyclist but admit a lot of cyclists I see are not.

You're being very silly and precious but you know that I'm sure, you should find an actual worthwhile cause to pursue.

You’re happy to not exercise whilst gyms are closed, but surely you can appreciate that others won’t want to let their fitness or mental health slide? There’s not much else they can do. No point banning running after lockdown either - no one would police it and they’ll be less people on the pavement/pathway so less of an issue

@megletsecond

I've just got back from a run. I ran on the grass verge around pedestrians many times. And they moved to the other side. Everyone was happy. You're being dramatic.

Then youre one of the good ones!

When I used to jog (several years ago), I would do the same each and every time.

But these days, the majority in my local park (Beddington Park), will never do the same....

Im not lying...this is honestly what I come across each weekend, despite my efforts to be considerate and give them space....its never reciprocated.

Could it just be a sign of the times?

Damn those pesky folk trying to keep themselves fit and not be a burden on the NHS

I run, not jog btw and I literally always go around walkers (I'm a keen walker too fwiw). I hold my breath when I go past anyone and always acknowledge anyone who moves aside for me. Banned my a

Could it just be a sign of the times?

Considering you’re in the minority that have experienced this, no

Walkers are the problem where I am. Walking 2/3/4 abreast and refusing to single file for anyone to get passed. If they're walking towards me and can clearly see me but refuse to move, I just stand still and make them walk round me.

I think you’re making a bit of a blanket statement. Most joggers I encounter are very polite, I tend to move to the side and stand still when I notice a jogger either infront or behind me. It’s seconds of my life that don’t matter to me, and it’s safer for not only myself and child if they’re walking with me but safer for the jogger as it does open up more path space and they don’t have to be so close to the road side.

I’d suggest getting out more. But avoid the joggers.

Oh fuck off

NOOOO people can't just be less dickish, we have to ban every person from doing anything in case one other person doing it someone else upsets a MN poster 😂

Ban everyone, except cars and people who have started going out for walks during lockdown but will probably stop as soon as their usual interests and activities open up again.

@LuvSmallDogs

I just ignore them. They can go into the road to get around me or wait. Some of us are actually going to places, rather than trying to get X amount of exercise, so I don't inconvenience myself on their behalf.

Problem is, the rude joggers tend to be quite aggressive looking / demeanour as well...I strongly suspect id get run over / pushed out the way if I didnt hurry up to move aside.

Not everyone has an option of tracks or country to be able to run on. And not everyone wants or can go to a gym.

As someone who runs on the streets I think your being extremely self entitled and selfish to be honest. I always move for people walking, have actually ran into the road if clear on more than one occasion.

Running on a treadmill is no where close to running on ground and I would dare run on my own in the seclusion of the parks near where I live. Runners are not a danger to you. Get over it

I am a jogger and always get out of peoples way. It drives me mad when other joggers don't.

Yeah I'm more concerned with families out blocking the whole path with their children, one of which cycled straight into me as I was attempting to move out of his way. I also regularly have to dart off paths into thick mud or bad terrain and have sprained an ankle doing so because people won't move over, plus had cars honk at me when I've moved just off the pavement to let some 3 abreast group get on with taking up the whole pavement.

I am a runner and always move aside for people walking on the path, and even run into the road if there is insufficient space to pass them safely. I have never seen a runner, or jogger, run aggressively through people or pass too close to them.

However, I do often encounter people walking two, three, and four abreast down fairly narrow paths and pavements who make no attempt to move out of the way for others. There are also quite a few cyclists who also take up lots of space on the pavement and do not move out of the way. But equally there are many cyclists who cycle in the cycle lanes or on the roads, and are respectful of others.

I think the honest conclusion is that sadly there are some selfish people out there who think they have the right to take up lots of space without consideration for others. Where I live it is predominantly walkers who do this, but I expect that some runners do the same.

Are you a slow walking OP? I think we should ban them. So selfish taking up more time on a piece of pavement than others. Especially if you get stuck behind them and you have to adjust your speed or risk walking into their stale, germ ridden breath.

Joggers arnt the issue, over population and lack of accessible green space is. The more people are out, exercising, the better.

Hmm would that be the same gym that's been shut for months OP? Maybe we joggers should just find our nearest gym building and run round it in circles...

As one of those dastardly joggers, I pretty much break my neck to avoid people when I'm out. I try and run early morning to avoid crowds, but if I can't, I'll go onto the road, run up grass verges or dive into a bush to make way (not that I ever get much in the way of thanks!) I reckon I'm more of a menace when I'm out with my small DC and trying to control them. I'm also now wearing a snood that I can pull up over my face if I can't avoid crowds.

The majority of runners I see tend to be as considerate - although I do think common sense needs to come into it sprinting round a crowded boating pond on a Saturday afternoon is just stupid. If I had a bugbear it would be dog owners for the space they take up, dogs bounding up to people and so much dog poo. And really slow walkers!

Sick of these threads bashing runners. I refuse to give up something that's vital for my mental health and hopefully keeping me from being a burden on the NHS.

Oh do jog on OP 🤣🤣

However in all seriousness, I've been running for decades, now obviously I'm running from my house so keep doing the same routes and the amount of walkers that take up the whole road or who walk on the wrong side - forcing me to change sides to run with the flow of traffic which is scary. But do you know what - it doesn't bother me - they're out getting exercise in a really difficult time for everyone so good for them. I'll step out of their way, pause my run, cross over the road whatever - it's not worth getting het up about

@BalancedIndividual - quick question for you, are there paths to walk over Beddington Farmlands to and from Mitcham Station and down to the park? Not for during lockdown, but we can get the tram there and I'd vaguely considered it for a mini outing with toddler DS one day.

Are you the vile lady I saw last weekend who told me to get out of the way when I was heading towards get?

The gyms are shut.

Motorists don’t think we should be on the road.

Dog walkers don’t think we should be in the parks.

I’ve been out walking and had to jump out of the way into the road for other walkers, dogs on leads and mobility scooters flying along the path. Walk in the road because cars are blocking the paths.

There’s some ignorant people out there. Some out walking, some out ‘jogging’, some with dogs, some in cars, some on bikes. Not everyone is ignorant OP but to be honest you sound like you are.